Therapeutic clay compositions and methods of using

Abstract

The present invention provides methods of improve efficiency, growth, and performance in an animal by orally administering to the animal an effective amount of a therapeutic clay. The methods can reduce embryonic loss, increase litter size, increase the number of live births, improve the immune status of the maternal animal, reduce the concentration of maternal fecal amino acids, reduce the concentration of maternal fecal short-chained amino acid, increasing litter birth weight in the maternal animal, increase the amount of young animal colostrum intake, reduce young animal pre-weaning mortality, reduce the number of young animals lost due to low viability, reduce the number of weaned young animals, improve the immune status of young animals at weaning, reduce the number of lightweight young animals from nursery to market, increase the number of young animals marketed per sow, and increase calculated litter weight gain.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of improving reproductive and litter performance of a maternal animal, the method comprising, orally administering to the animal an effective amount of a therapeutic clay between day 3 of gestation and three weeks prior to farrowing. 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the clay is formulated in a feed composition for oral administration to the animal. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein improving reproductive performance comprises reducing embryonic loss, increasing litter size, increasing the number of live births, improving the immune status of the maternal animal, reducing the concentration of maternal fecal amino acids, reducing the concentration of maternal fecal short-chained amino acid, and increasing litter birth weight. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein improving the immune status of the maternal animal comprises an increased level of IFNγ and TNF-α in the maternal animal, and decreased levels of TRAIL in the maternal animal. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the level of pre-farrowing TNF-α in the maternal animal is positively correlated with total wean, negatively correlated with subsequent stillborns, and positively correlated with subsequent mummies. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the level of pre-farrowing TRAIL is negatively correlated with subsequent total born and subsequent born alive. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the level of wean IFN-γ is positively correlated with total wean. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein improving litter performance comprises increasing amount of young animal colostrum intake, reducing young animal pre-weaning mortality, reducing the number of young animals lost due to low viability, reducing the number of weaned young animals, improving the immune status of young animals at weaning, reducing the number of lightweight young animals from nursery to market, increasing the number of young animals marketed per maternal animal, and increasing calculated litter weight gain. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the animal is a pig. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the amount of clay in a feed composition ranges from about 0.1 lb/ton to 10 lb/ton. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the amount of clay in a pre-farrowing feed composition ranges from about 0.5 lb/ton to 4.0 lb/ton. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the amount of clay administered to a sow ranges from about 1.0 g/d to about 10 g/d. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the amount of clay administered to an animal ranges from about 0.1 g/d to about 8 g/d. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the amount of clay administered to an animal during gestation ranges from about 0.5 g/d to about 3 g/d. 
     
     
       15. A method of improving pig reproductive and litter performance of a sow, the method comprising orally administering to the sow an effective amount of a therapeutic clay between day 3 of gestation and three weeks prior to farrowing. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein improving litter performance comprises increasing the amount of young animal piglet colostrum intake, reducing young animal pre-weaning mortality, reducing the number of young animals lost due to low viability, reducing the number of weaned young animals, improving the immune status of young animals at weaning, reducing the number of lightweight young animals from nursery to market, increasing the number of young animals marketed per sow maternal animal, and increasing calculated litter weight gain. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein improving reproductive performance comprises reducing embryonic loss, increasing litter size, increasing the number of live births, improving the immune status of the maternal animal, reducing the concentration of maternal fecal amino acids, reducing the concentration of maternal fecal short-chained amino acid, and increasing litter birth weight. 
     
     
       18. A method of improving reproductive and litter performance of a maternal animal, the method comprising, orally administering to the animal an effective amount of a therapeutic clay between day 3 of gestation and three weeks prior to farrowing, wherein the reproductive and litter performance of a maternal animal is improved when compared to the reproductive and litter performance of a healthy maternal animal. 
     
     
       19. A method of improving reproductive and litter performance of a maternal animal, the method comprising, orally administering to the animal an effective amount of a therapeutic clay between day 3 of gestation and three weeks prior to farrowing, wherein the clay is formulated in a feed composition for oral administration to the animal, and wherein improving reproductive and litter performance comprises increasing the number of live animals from birth to market per maternal animal and increasing individual weight of a live animal offspring. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the clay is formulated in a feed composition supplemented with calcium for oral administration to the animal.